Tell me if you’ve heard this one before: A midget, The Outlaw, and Grieves walk into a club . . . Actually I’ll let Grieves tell it.

I caught up with Grieves via T-Mobile signal while he was out in Portland, a few days before the Rhymesayers Soundset Festival. We got into Together/Apart(released yesterday so pick it up, HERE), the process for the new album, and definitely a lot more. . . Oh yeah and that thing about the midget & The Outlaw.

@bjones21: I’m here chiming in for the phoner today.
@Grievesmusic: Yeah I’m into it. I was supposed to do another one before you guys, but they’re not as punctual as you are. You’re at 12:20pm on the dot.

BJ: HAHA yeah I just noticed that myself. Ya know we try to keep it together; make sure you guys get your shit done & same here.
G: I appreciate it more than you can possibly know.

BJ: Where you at right now?
G: I am in the basement of some college, in Portland.

BJ: You have a performance there then, headed to Soundset?
G: Nah I got a lady friend out here, and she goes to college and wanted me to sit in on her ideology class; and I told her I didn’t want to. So I went to Seattle’s Best and got a Chai Tea while she’s in class, and now I’m in some weird basement, while she has a meeting with her study group and i do my rap interviews.

BJ: Alright not bad, is she just a lady friend? Just handshakes and that’s all?
G: Yeah just a lady friend.

BJ: Let’s jump into the new album.
G: Yeah.

House of Blues Sunset and Tech N9ne; pretty epic shit right there.  When the opportunity to interview one of the most talented and intricate choppers in hip hop, you gotta do it.  We caught up with Tech before his performance at H.O.B.  to discuss the new album, new fans, and for him to do what he does best, chop.

Head over to Tech N9ne’s official page to see when he’ll be in your town & pick up his new album All 6s & 7s cuz you’re prob the only person on your block not bumping it right now.

by @bjones21 for @LP33

I came across Sagaki Keita’s work and thought it was some of the most amazingly psychedelic art I’d seen in some time.  The precision on the macro scale down to the seemingly haphazard and spontaneous nature of the micro is amazing.  I’m always a bit taken a back that he doesn’t lose his way when creating these pieces.

The interview was done via email.  Sagaki speaks little english and thus the text has some hiccups here and there.  I’ve kept it as is, with little alteration as not to misconstrue or misrepresent Mr. Keita’s words.

Definitely give it your full attention; Jay Sean and me, there’s not much else you need to know.

After checking out the video read Part 1, our interview with Kenneth Price and check out Part 2, Kenneth & 9th discuss Actual Proof‘s video for “Genius” & Part 3, where they discuss Big Remo’s “Go Ladies” shot at Howard University’s famous Homecoming.

After checking out the video read Part 1, our interview with Kenneth Price and check out Part 2, Kenneth & 9th discuss Actual Proof‘s video for “Genius”.

We released part one of our series this morning and now Social8gency is happy to present Part 2 of our Behind the Video Series with Kenneth Price. On this portion Kenneth enlists a special guest 9th Wonder to take us through the video for Its A Wonderful World Music Group artist Actual Proof and their video “Genius”. Part 1.

Over beers and burgers, one of my dudes asked me, since I am I guess in the industry, to put him on some new hip hop for him to check out.  He’s aware of the J. Coles of the world but looking for something else.  So this is what I came up with on the fly for shit I’ve been bumping for the past 2 months.

So I bring you Woofer Syrup; not everything on here will be by new artists, but I promise that I think at least most of it will be dope, and that if you have a problem with that kiss my ass and shoot me suggestions.

Each month a new 10, and not strictly hip hop. These are scoured from across the landscape of freely released music, but if artist A, B, and/or C have a problem with their track being posted here, get at me: Brock@social8gency.com.

share and share alike. Take it a la carte below OR right-click & save this.

Mickey Factz – “Amnesia RMX”

OverDoz – “Before We Go On”

The Cool Kids – “Bundle Up”

Childish Gambino – “Freaks ‘N Geeks”

Eminem – “Syllables” ft. Dr. Dre, Jay Z, 50Cent, Cashis, & Stat Quo

Curren$y – “Frost”

Stalley – “Hercules”

HomeBaseNYC Presents – “In” ft. Blu, Freddie Gibbs, & Homeboy Sandman

The Glitch Mob – “Seven Nation Army RMX”

Actual Proof – “Super Genius” ft. Cutlass Reid, Skewby, Naledge, Kendrick Lamar, Add2theMC, Brittany Street, The Kid Daytona, & Laws

To hear him tell it NoYork sounds like its going to be a monster; can’t wait.

I’ve been to a couple other video shoots in the past and to break it to you unless you really have something you have to be doing there, its a pretty boring endeavor.  Beyond all the glits that hits your screen when the final product is presented, its repeated takes, careful quaffing of a single strand of hair for “continuity”, wardrobe changes, and press.  Chachi and I were there specifically for the fourth and as cigarette delivery specialists, so our purpose was complete.

It started out as a bit of an adventure as Chachi Ramirez and I make our way there circling warehouse spaces until the massive imprint of Los Angeles’ Art-Deco styled Sears Roebuck came into light in the horizon, that building in itself is a bit awe inspiring; and I come to find out there are/were exact copies across the nation.

Anyway, we find the spot thanks to New Boyz‘ “Backseat” blaring out the back of the warehouse.  We walk in to find Dev in this dress and shoes that made me rethink the plan and just spend the rest of the day attempting to get her to come home with me, but this is about work.  She’s posted in front of an immaculate Mercedes Benz 300SL, yeah the original Gull Wing joint, with The Cataracs behind her as they run through pickups for the chorus.

Chachi gives a cigarette to one of the crew.

Its funny watching the activity surrounding these things, you have at one point grips, the production, crew and the artists’ handlers buzzing around the set making sure all is in place, and then there’s this solid contingent of those just hanging around not doing much of anything: bobbing to the music & checking their phones were two popular activities.  The other great part is just watching how the artists move in this environment.

Chachi gives a cigarette to The Cataracs’ manager.

Ben J was steady moving amongst the crowd and bumping to what was playing; Legacy seemed always posted behind the monitors watching how it all unfolds.  The Cataracs & Dev if not on camera couldn’t be found for the most part, seemingly enjoying those moments to handle their own business.  Oh yeah about Dev, she’s finer in person than you’d think.

Chachi gives a cigarette to The Cataracs.

Speaking of those just hanging around the set.  We had some radio winners in the house.  This was something else.  A nice bevy of cute young ladies looking club ready and an old white couple.

I Shit You Not.

This couple were winners from Minneapolis, I think.  I wish I could have held my laughter back long enough to talk to them, get inside their heads, and see what in gods name made them: A. enter the contest B. make the trip & C. if they even knew who the New Boyz were.  But hey I won’t throw stones, they looked like they were seriously enjoying the experience.

Over the course of the production we got everything we needed: solid B-Roll, solid stand-ups, and an Animal Planet segment narrated by The Cataracs.  Keep your eyes peeled for my New Boyz interview coming soon & pick up “Backseat“.

Chachi gives a cigarette to Ben J.